Embarrassing loss for Theresa May in symbolic vote on Brexit plan

15/02/2019|2min

Theresa May has suffered an embarrassing defeat in the House of Commons as MPs voted against her approach to Brexit.
The prime minister brought a motion forward to reiterate support for the approach MPs agreed last month - noting negotiations between the UK and the EU over the Irish backstop were ongoing.
But she lost the vote 303-258 after failing to win the support of Tory Brexiteers in the European Research Group (ERG), who feared her motion would take leaving the EU without a deal off the table.
Last month, MPs agreed to reopen negotiations on the backstop, but also voted in favour of a cross-party non-binding amendment rejecting a no-deal break with the EU.